A New Recruit for the Shinra Space Program
by sanctum-c
Summary: Unsurprisingly, Auron answered Shera's knock on the Captain's door. He still wore sunglasses in the house and kept his now long, black hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Shera." His smile stretched the cross-shaped scar on his cheek, and after a glance around tilted the sunglasses down to meet her eyes. Still haunting to look into the glowing ring of Mako, but it no longer made her


Written for the prompt: _Zack is on the run from Shinra by himself (Cloud's not with him for Whatever Reason, that's your call), and happens across Cid by chance. Cid decides to take him in and Zack winds up working for him for years, trying to keep a low profile. It does a lot to mellow Cid out now that he has someone to talk to about things besides being bitter and Shera having outside emotional support, and Zack in turn gradually becomes less of a bag of dicks as Cid kinda forces him to think about his own issues. Would prefer the events/characters of Crisis Core not be mentioned. _

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Auron answered Shera's knock on the Captain's door. He still wore sunglasses in the house and kept his now long, black hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Shera." His smile stretched the cross-shaped scar on his cheek, and after a glance around tilted the sunglasses down to meet her eyes. Still haunting to look into the glowing ring of Mako, but it no longer made her wary.

"Cid up?"

"This early?" Auron shook his head and held the door wider. "Want some coffee?"

She nodded and made her way into the kitchen, Auron following. "He up late again?"

"You need to ask?" He passed her a mug. Shera yelped when he handed it to her; she put it down fast, coffee splashing onto the work-top. "Sorry. Always forget that."

Shera sucked at her fingers. "My fault too. Should learn to just grab by the handle." She lifted the mug – correctly – this time and Auron wiped the spilled coffee up with a dish cloth. "So. Probably tomorrow." She sighed. "Of course the Captain's excited. This is our only shot."

"Unless you want to go convince Wutai it's a stunningly good idea." Auron swigged his coffee. "Just gotta hope the company name isn't tainted." A hitch to his voice, his shoulders tensing. "I- I just hope he's different to his father. And no one remembers me- Hojo isn't supposed to be coming is he?" The hand holding his mug trembled.

"I don't think so." Shera chose her words carefully. "Auron-"

He shook his head. "Give me a sec."

She nodded and Auron hurried to the bathroom; same reaction after so much time. Shera crossed to the window. The Shinra-26 loomed above the town as it had for years now. As it had seemed fated to always remain no matter how much the Captain hoped and dreamed of a resumption of the aborted project. But now there was hope. Ever since news of President Shinra's murder at the hands of a literal ghost reached them, the Captain, Shera and Auron's focus was the rocket. Whatever possessed Rufus Shinra to tour his father's domain was immaterial; he was coming here. And with him came the chance to restart the abandoned space project.

* * *

The change to the Shinra-26 alerted Shera to Auron's arrival near two years prior. The day much like any other; at best frosty silences from the Captain when she came over to check on him. At worst were the clipped words, visible discomfort and barely concealed fury. Internal reflected externals; appropriately the weather was awful with dark clouds horizon to horizon. A dark day wore on and erupted into heavy rain mid-afternoon. Late in the evening, the rain still pouring outside, a light caught her eye. It took some time for it to come again and longer still until she settled on the origin point.

A light flickered in the uppermost section of the Shinra-26. Not regular enough for a warning light. A fire? Shera closed her eyes, but was there anything to debate? He had to know; she had to let him know. No. Not strictly true. She could let fire wreck the rocket, let the space-flight project fade away and become nothing more than a lofty dream. Shinra's interest focused down onto the ground beneath them these days. What did they care about the stars? This could be the end of an era and perhaps they could all move on.

But another worry going forward. Cid might bark now, but to alert him to a risk now would ensure she would not have to check her words forever after, worried she might let slip she had any kind of inkling regarding damage to the rocket. A sigh. "Captain?"

"What?"

Fight back the shudder at the harshness of his tone. "There's something up with the rocket." She tensed for his reaction.

An angry sigh and the stomp of boots on the cheap wooden floor. "What? I don't see it." The Captain reeked of tobacco and whisky this close.

Fists clenched, Shera struggled for calm. The flicker came again. "There." She pointed. "See? Not sure if it's a fire or-"

The Captain scowled up at the rocket through the driving rain. "That's not a fire." He swore. "Trespassers."

He stomped away, Shera trailing after him. "Trespassers?" No one on the streets outside; the downpour kept near everyone inside. "Here?"

"Gotta be. Vagrants I bet. Or runaways." He shrugged. "Going to kick 'em out regardless." The Captain fished his spear out of the umbrella stand. "Ain't never getting into space if some tramp makes their home inside it and wrecks the repairs."

"Can't it wait?" The full glare of his stare directed right at her; fight the urge to wilt. "The rain?" She stammered and gestured to the window. "Where are they going to go on a night like this?"

"Don't know. Don't care." He pulled the door open before she could reply; it slammed shut behind him. Going home the best option here. Going home and trying not to think of the Captain reacting badly to someone taking shelter within perhaps the only cover they could find. Outside, the Captain reached the ladder leading up to the Shinra-26, risking his life on the slippery rungs, spear clutched in one hand. Shera retreated to the sink and focused on the washing up.

Not distracting enough; the washing done easily, her thoughts straying back to the rocket, to the delay in the Captain returning. How long should she wait until she checked? In case he slipped and got injured or worse. Or if the trespasser was something more than the nuisance the Captain assumed. Or- The door slammed open, crashing against the wall. Shera jumped, the mug she held tumbling from her hand to smash on the tiled floor. "Sorry, Captain, I-"

"Get the first aid kit!" Cid growled. He forced the door closed against howling wind and rain, leaving a mass of black cloth on the floor. He rushed from room to room, pulling closed every curtain in the house.

"Captain?"

"First aid kit. Now." He hurried to the bundle of black cloth. It stirred, a faint whispering and a hollow gargling emanating from it. Something or someone under the cloth. "Shera!"

She ran at his bark to the bathroom, scrabbling at shelves searching for the emergency supplies. Calm. Think! Where was the kit? Under the sink! Hands trembling, pulse racing. Taking too long. She pulled open the cupboard, fumbled through the contents and hurried back; the figure under the black cloak now sprawled on the table, the Captain's hands bloodied. "Captain?" A quizzical look; she gestured at his hands.

"Not mine. His." He pushed the cloth back and Shera shut her eyes, her stomach churning. A glimpse of blue eyes ringed with Mako and black, spiked hair. And blood. So much blood. Patches of missing skin. Exposed bone and exposed molars. "He's not in a good way." His voice was hoarse.

"What is a SOLDIER doing here?" Shera took a shuddering breath and opened her eyes, looking away from the stranger.

"Not well placed to tell me." He sighed. "Look. Whoever you are. I'm gonna patch you up. I hear rumours that SOLDIERs are pretty good at regenerating, so not sure how you wound up like this." A guttural sound from the stranger. "Save your strength." He fumbled with the first aid kit. "Not sure the painkillers are going to cut it. Shera?"

Not as brusque. "Yes, Captain?"

"Need the materia. Why isn't it-" She moved away before he could ask more. First aid was first aid and materia was materia; she kept the house tidied and separated them out. Curative spells always seemed an odd inclusion – more so when Shera had never been able to pick up the knack of using the spheres. The Captain's small materia collection resided in a locked metal box in his bedroom. No point trying to fish between the identical looking green spheres; Shera took the whole box through to the living room. Another unfortunate glimpse of the SOLDIER, bandages covering some of the worst injuries, but nowhere close to enough. Those wide staring eyes, the flesh missing around the figure's throat-

"Thank you." The Captain rifled through the box and after a few attempts, pulled out one specific piece of materia. "Okay. See what I can do. Hopefully this'll ease your pain a bit more." The sphere glowed bright green in his grip.

* * *

Further healing the next morning. More repairs to the SOLDIER's shattered form. Long, tedious work, flesh knitted together after successive efforts, his eyes no longer staring, teeth no longer visible from disconcerting angles and blood vessels now hidden beneath expected layers of skin. The SOLDIER regained a semblance of speech after three days and in a halting, gargling voice told them his name. Zack Fair. Something about a lab in Nibelheim and a pained escape. The short conversation left him agitated and fearful. His shaking hands became worse, seeming uncontrollable fidgeting worsening until Zack lurched for the door. It took both the Captain and Shera to restrain him, to beg him to calm and not risk further damage.

"We'll-" Shera glanced at the captain who tightened his grip. Even injured, the SOLDIER's strength was incredible. "We'll keep you safe." From what or who, they could not be sure, nor could Zack try to articulate without breaking down and attempting to flee once more.

On the fourth day, Shera's friend Undyne visited. A normal visit – this time of day should have seen the Captain busy with the rocket. The Captain dragged a terrified Zack into a bedroom. Awkward situation; hope much could the Captain hear of the conversation? Undyne had always been critical of his attitude, never accepting any of Shera's reasoning. More than a few insults voiced, Shera doing her best to deflect her own former words or change the subject until-

"But you know why Shinra's searching Mount Nibel?" Undyne sipped at her tea.

"What?"

Undyne leant closer. "Yeah; whole squad of infantry out there and three helicopters. Saw them buzzing around the place on my way in this morning." She shrugged. "Guess there's a training exercise or something over there." Her brow furrowed. "Isn't Nibelheim over that way? They don't have some prison I don't know about do they?"

Something about a fire three years ago. Afterwards, no one talked about the place. Treacherous trails, appalling weather, persistent ghost stories and the development of the Highwind and Gelnikas resulted in few people contemplating heading there. "Haven't heard of one." Shera kept her tone carefully light.

"Hope it's not some murderer they're tracking down." Undyne shivered and glanced over her shoulder to the door.

Wrong way; Zack in the room behind Shera. She kept talking, her mind swirling, barely listening to anything Undyne had to say. Was there some other explanation for Zack? Shinra were looking for someone and no doubt it was him. The news did little to comfort after Undyne's departure; Zack made another move to escape, his legs too weak and risking immediate exposure under the bright sunlight.

The Captain scowled. "Way I see it, we have two choices. Hand you over to them. Run a risk of you being executed on the spot, or sent back to that lab you got away from. On the plus side; might curry enough favour with 'em that we can get the space program back on track."

"Captain-" Shera exclaimed, Zack gaping at him in horror.

"Or. We help you stay free and spare you from whatever they were up to. Risk our lives for ever more." Zack stared at him with a plaintive gaze and Shera prepared to argue the still injured man's cause to the bitter end. "Don't see like I've got any kind of choice."

* * *

They moved Zack back into the rocket for the next week. The frequent visits the Captain made to the rusting vehicle expected and normal – unlikely to raise any questions from Rocket Town's populace.

Shera carried on as she always had; visiting the Captain's house each day. Had to maintain normalcy; no suspicious movements, no changes to routine. Ready for when Shinra arrived, the wait leaving both her and the Captain on tenterhooks until at last the troops marched into town. They went house to house, news of their continued presence spreading like wildfire. Their goal was information regarding the whereabouts of two former SOLDIERs, both dangerous. Identified only by initials; Z and C. They had photos of their quarries. Both images unfamiliar, but the one with black-spiky hair perhaps might have once been Zack.

Shera and the Captain both denied all knowledge of either SOLDIER's whereabouts; Shinra tore the town apart anyway. Houses ransacked, larders emptied and wrecked, attics and the two basements the town boasted repeatedly searched. The rocket did not escape their attention, but the vehicle constituted so many different systems, parts and accessways, who could be certain they had searched them all? No plans to refer to; the commander settled for barking orders to open obvious bulkheads and containers – unaware other nearby panels enclosed empty spaces.

The troops found nothing despite repeated appeals for information; they set off for the West. Did they believe Zack might have gone to Wutai? Perhaps. At least they were no longer in Rocket Town. The Captain left Zack in hiding for a further two full days before bringing him back to the house in the dead of night.

A week later Zack smiled more now; voice still hoarse, but he became capable of longer conversations. With frequent pauses and shudders he related his recent past. How he saw Sephiroth's descent into madness and the destruction of Nibelheim. How he awoke after in the depths of Shinra's lab and under Hojo's knife. How he and another prisoner – Cloud – escaped. "And he went down the mountain; I went up."

"Sounds like he got away too." Shera smiled at him. "Given how they were looking for him too."

"I hope so." His words slurred; Zack unlaced his fingers and massaged his throat. He took a few wheezing breaths before continuing. "Thank you for helping me. Now they're gone, I should get moving."

Shera opened her mouth to protest but the Captain got there first. "And go where?" He hunched forward. "Ex-SOLDIERs ain't exactly common things." He puffed on his cigarette. "Can't go home; they'll be watching for that. Can't go to your girl for same reason – if she even is at this point."

"Aeris is- She'd-" He scowled, his whole frame trembling, words slurring and stuttering. "If I could just talk to SOLDIER, maybe I-"

The Captain cut across Shera, about to stress Aeris would - of course - have waited. "Could call down trouble on all of us. Going to have to face it; company's only use for you is as a lab rat."

"Says the man who had his shot and can't do anything while he waits for another." Zack paled in the silence, Shera tensed, unable to look at the figure beside her. "Cid. I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"Maybe it's a fool dream." The Captain's voice low but angry. "But it's my dream. Nothing says it can't happen. What was yours? Be a glorious SOLDIER and save the world? Ain't never been glory in that division unless you're Sephiroth. And he's dead."

Zack scrambled up, towards the door, stopped and returned to the sofa. He paced back and forth. "But I need to-" He stared off at nothing; with a grunt of effort he faced them. "I need to go."

"And I asked you where?" The Captain hunched forward. "See, I have a vested interest in that answer now. Given I stuck my neck out for you." He gestured to Shera. "We both took a risk in saving you. They find you now and while you might have the best intentions in the world, I would not like to bet you wouldn't let our names slip when they get creative with questioning. And if you do-"

Shera shivered; Zack swallowed. "I'd never tell them."

"Just like you'd never let Sephiroth murder a town or let Hojo experiment on you?" The Captain shook his head. "If you're smart – and I have my doubts about you – you'll stay here. Until things quieten down at the very least."

"Here?" He fidgeted and dropped onto the sofa, fingers toying with a frayed edge of the discarded black cloak. They had given him the Captain's old clothes to wear, but he would not easily part from the garment he wore on arrival. "And that won't put you at risk?" He opened his eyes wide, fingers pulling at his eyelids. "Don't exactly blend in, do I?" He dropped his hands to his lap. "And not like I can repay you."

The Captain shrugged. "You can work for me. And there's ways of hiding your eyes. Call it penance. Call it repayment. Call it a better shot at freedom than if you want to walk out that door. Still want to go... I won't stop you. But you just think about the risk you're putting yourself - and us - in."

Zack dithered and lurched to his feet. He made it to the door by the time Shera managed to speak. "Zack, no." Fear or compassion; impossible to say whether her concern was more for her own skin, or fear what happened to Zack could repeat all too readily. His hand clenched around the door handle. "Stay. Please. Look, at your hand-"

He stared down; his hand trembled where it gripped the handle. With a sigh, he slouched. "You'll pay me?"

The Captain chuckled. "Interesting repayment plan." He clambered to his feet. "But sure. I'll pay you. Finish up your healing, help you hide, give you a roof over your head. But you gotta work for all that."

Zack took a deep breath. "Okay." He let go of the door handle but remained by the door. "Okay, I'll stay. For now. For a month. Maybe a month." He glanced up at Shera. "Just so I have enough to get me on my feet."

"Fine." The Captain stalked towards the door and edged Zack away from it. "Shera? We're going to need a few things." Shera shot Zack a smile and followed the Captain outside.

* * *

Two years passed and Zack remained. Tranquillisers helped when the shudders returned – sparked more often than not by talk of Shinra, of Sephiroth, of Midgar. They took risk with other medications, never convinced they were not postponing or exacerbating a deeper issue. But taking Zack to a doctor ran so many risks of word reaching Shinra, there was no one to try to diagnose his affliction.

His assumed name of Auron (a celebrity Shera had a crush on in her youth) close to natural now; none of them called him Zack if they could help it. The eventual cover-story when the Captain deemed him okay outside was as Shera's cousin. Some bad times at home left him in need of a better environment and Shera's relatives convinced her it was a good idea. The lie constituted a bitter pill for Zack given the fate of his actual home and another reason why he might need to leave; no easy way to hide his accent. A lie with elements of truth. A medical condition helped explain the sunglasses and a haircut did away with his distinctive spikes.

The scar was more of a concern; Auron took pains to hide it with make-up. A semi-fortunate accident working on the rocket left his face cut and thus offered a cover for the scar. SOLDIER healing took care of the new injury; the other remained.

"So. If I understand SOLDIER enhancements, you must have gotten that scar before you entered the program?" The Captain was working late on the rocket and chased them off for the day. They retreated to the Captain's house and made dinner.

"Basically." Auron did not switch focus from the pot of sauce he stirred. He shot her a quizzical look. "What?"

"Just curious." Shera closed the fridge.

He shot her another look and stared at the stove. "It's from home. When I was about seven I guess." He shot her a pained grin. "Always wanted to be in SOLDIER and I'd gotten it into my head that they did all this dramatic and dangerous stuff." He added in a few more spices.

"So?"

Auron sighed again. "So. I was trying to do this stunt. I set up two ramps and was going to cycle fast enough to vault the gap." A grin, the movement stretching his scar. "Stupid kid right?"

"You missed landing?"

"You could say that." He laughed. "Completely over-estimated by ability to build up speed. Shot off the first ramp and plunged right into between the two. Face-first into some sheet-metal sticking out of the ground."

Shera winced. "Ow."

He nodded. "Ow is an understatement. Blood everywhere, took ages to heal, and I was forbidden from going outside for like a month." Auron chuckled. "Though, in the end, not the worst thing. Did leave me with this manly scar." Shera rolled her eyes and gathered the cutlery.

Auron never wanted to stay for the first year. He would count down the days in the first month, eagerly looking forward to the point he could head off and get moving again. No destination in mind. No plans, no contingencies; nothing beyond his constant need to move. But despite all his bluster, when the fated day arrived he asked for a month extension. To make things a little easier.

He requested a three month extension.

After six months he seemed almost content to continue living at the Captain's house in his spare room and working as his apprentice. After so long frozen out, ignored and chased off, Shera returned to what remained of the space-program and the Captain's personal powered flight projects. Along with Auron, she worked on the Highwind, worked on the Tiny Bronco. Helped replace the water-damaged and rusted sections of the Shinra-26. Rebuilt the control systems. Checked and replaced faulty connectors and valves.

Shera no longer needed to visit the Captain in the same way. The chores she helped with, her penances instead fulfilled by Auron. But the old habits persisted and she still made the time to visit, to check in on them both. No longer a penance. Now visits to the house appealed, a precursor to working again.

"Shera." The Captain started smiling when he answered the door.

"Morning, Captain!"

"Auron's just finishing up but-" He scratched at his head. "Want some coffee while you wait?"

Shera smiled back. "I'd love some." The world seemed lighter. There were still bad days for Auron when he contemplated moving on. Not back home to his parents; over time a destination had coalesced for him. Midgar.

"Miss the view from the Shinra building. Sector Eight plaza, Loveless Avenue." Auron sighed. "Miss going to Goblin's bar. When I finally get back, I need a place to stay. I could-" He shook his head. "Her Mom's there too and three's a crowd. There's hotels on the upper plate and-"

Shera cut in. "Don't you want to see Aeris?"

Auron twitched, disorientated, eyes blinking rapidly. "Yes. Yes – of course I do. I- I'll go visit, even if- Have to get down to Sector Five. I mean, she might not have moved on."

"She might not." Shera's responses almost scripted for these occasions now. She cleared her throat. "Do you really want to go back and see her?"

A pained smile. "I wanna know how she is. And... I kinda want to see Midgar again. The Upper Plate at night, all the people. Have some fond memories." He shifted his feet, his smile widening. "Hojo was all kinds of awful, but I made friends-"

"In Junon, right?" Shera took a step closer to him. "Where SOLDIER was based?"

"Junon. Right." He scratched his head. "And the Junon nights were pretty too. Of course I had friends in Midgar too from when I visited. When I get there-"

"How?"

"Huh?" Auron's attention shifted from the door to Shera. Always a worry she might not derail his fixation.

Shera licked her lips. "I was just curious how are you going to get there?"

Auron cocked his head to one side. "Figured I'd go across the mountains." His hands moved to approximate the route past invisible landmarks. "Have to turn at Cosmo Canyon. Past the Corel Desert. Plenty of boats from Costa del Sol-"

"You plan on walking all that way?" The Captain was still working in the rocket. She needed to keep Auron occupied or focused until she could let him know.

"If it comes to it?" He shrugged. "Capable. SOLDIERs can march for days."

"Impressive." Shera nodded. "But do you really think it's a good idea? Shinra already came looking for you and you wanted to hide-"

"If I can talk to SOLDIER-" The plaintive tone now.

Shera padded over him. "-and you really want to walk right up to them? Are you sure they'll wait for you to make your case?" Auron opened his mouth but said nothing. "Would you look for Cloud on the way?"

"Cloud?" Alarming how invoking either Aeris or Cloud would bewilder him; these two he had hard cared for so much.

"Your friend? The one you escaped with?" Shera stepped closer. "Not sure how you'd find him, but I like to think it'd be nice to know if he made it too."

"Cloud-" Auron nodded. "He's made it. He must have. Maybe he didn't find anyone as nice as the two of you, but no way would he have given up." He grimaced. "Then again, maybe we should have both come this way."

"Maybe." Good; the conversation moving away plans to head to Midgar. If he wanted to go near anywhere else, she would have said nothing. A trip to Wutai. To Mideel. To see Cosmo Canyon. Perhaps his home. But it was always Midgar he desired.

"So long as Cloud's okay. But if he went that way-" A waving gesture in the vague direction of Mount Nibel. "-and as long as he kept going he could have made it to Midgar-" Auron's eyes widened and his hands trembled.

Shera touched his arm as his muscles flexed under his skin. "I know it's hard. But you ran away from Shinra – and Midgar. Going back; it's just not a good idea. No matter how good the view."

"I just... just wanted to see it again." Auron murmured.

"And?" Shera whispered.

"And Aeris. And Cloud. If she- If he- You- you're right." He flashed her a smile. "Day-dreaming I guess." Another glance at the door. "Daylight's burning. Guess I should get on with food." Shera waited until dinner distracted him to slip out to mention the incident to the Captain. His solution remained crude but so far effective: get Auron drunk. Whether the alcohol was sufficient distraction, or Shera's careful questioning resolved the issue remained debatable. Either way, the impulses should be gone by tomorrow and Auron would be content.

A strange dynamic between the three of them, but it worked. No more posing from Auron if anyone close to his age happened by. No more attempting to defend some of SOLDIER and Shinra's more dubious activities during the Wutai war. Shinra. As much as the Captain, as much as Shera, and now Auron dreamed of the resumption of the space program, it was hard to not be wary about news of the new President on his way here. Would Auron escape detection? Was this now the trap they had laid years before? Time would tell. But if the meeting went as the Captain anticipated, perhaps the Shinra-26 would ascend to the heavens. This time with three passengers.


End file.
